M.S. Statistics UC Irvine

[Lucky815]

Does anyone know if UC Irvine has a reputable program in statistics? I find it very odd that it isn't ranked on US News. I'm asking because so far I've been accepted to their program as well as UMich. The latter has a great program, but the thought of living in Orange County is very enticing, and Irvine is a fantastic university overall. Thanks for any help!

[qub]

Hi Lucky815,

 

Congrats on your acceptances.  I'm currently deciding on an admission offer to their Stats PhD program.  I would say that the professors and program overall are fairly reputable, but the program is very new (started ~10 years ago I think, with about 8 PhDs granted so far), so it's still proving itself for the most part.  The professors do research and publish frequently in reputable -journals, and there is significant collaboration with some of the other departments, such as computer science, which is fairly highly-ranked on US News.  Biggest drawback is that the department is pretty small, which limits some of your study options, but if you're interested in Bayesian statistics you should be fine.

 

I live near Irvine currently and I grew up in Michigan, so I can compare the locales a bit. Ann Arbor is an amazing town, one of my favorites, and culture-wise is probably the closest you'll get to California in the Midwest.  If you don't mind the weather, you'll probably love living there.  The campus is great, and department itself is one of the top in the country.  Irvine and the OC is a beautiful area with plenty to do, perfect weather, and lots of jobs and networking opportunities for statisticians.  On the other hand, compared to Michigan, it's ridiculously expensive, pretty crowded, with lots of traffic.  

 

I'm facing a similar choice between UCI PhD and NC-State PhD programs.  I've visited both places, and it's still a tough choice.  In the end, it comes down to your priorities and research interests, but hope this helps.

[Lucky815]

Thanks so much! Yes, I spoke with one of my undergrad professors, and she said similar things about the relative newness of the program. She also sang praise about two of the professors who recently moved from UC Davis to UC Irvine. 

 

My research interests are still very up in the air, but I thoroughly enjoyed my Bayesian statistics courses—by far my favorite undergrad courses. I'm still waiting to hear from a few other programs. Thus far, I have received acceptances to Michigan, UC Irvine, and UC Davis. I'm still waiting to hear back from UCLA, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Washington. I know that Washington has already sent acceptances, so I'm not too hopeful. 

 

I'm hoping to hear back from UCLA ASAP. I feel like their program has similar reputation to Michigan with the benefits of living in So. California. Location-wise, I would love living in California. Honestly, it's where I plan on ending up. Plus, it's closer to home. The cost of living is certainly a concern, but tuition for Michigan is insane! It's the most expensive public university in America. As a master's student, funding really doesn't seem to be an option, so unfortunately I have to worry about it. 

 

Anyone else who can chime in on the reputation of each program is welcome! This has been a killer of a choice. I'm getting mixed advice from every source. The most common thing I've heard is that as a master's student, I would really have the same opportunities. Michigan is certainly the most reputable (other than UW, which is a longshot), but I've also heard that it is easier to feel "anonymous." I like the idea of working in a small department and building closer relationships with fellow grad students and professors.

 

Thanks again for all the help!

[EconStats2016]

Hi Lucky815 - i'm thinking about applying to UCI's MS in Stats program - do you mind sharing your undergrad gpa / gre score / class grades? Can't find any info anywhere on how competitive it is to get in and the contact at UCI wasn't really helpful. thanks